Sewing machine attachment



May l, 1945. D. L. BACON Em. 2,374,721

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May l, 1945- D. l.. BACON ETAL 2,374,721

vSEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 1,1945. D. L. BACON ETAI. 2,374,721

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed oct. 2, 1940 3 sheets-sheet 3 lPatented May 1, 1945 David L. Bacon,y North Haven, Samuel P. Caldwell, Hamden, and William L. Barmmer, Stratford, Conn., assignors to The `Grreist Manufacturing Company, New Haven, Conn., a corpora` tion of Connecticut Application October 2, y1940, Serial N o. 359,384

14 Claims-.j

This invention relates to sewing machine attachments, and more particularly to an attachment designed to perform what is known as a zigzag or crisscross stitching operation. In devices for performing an operation of this character, it is necessary that the clothor material being stitched be moved laterally between certain of the stitching operations, that is, be given a lat'- eral movement during the time that the sewing machine needle is raised out of contact with the material. In connection with. devices of this charl acter, it is desirable that the device be adjustable ally after every stitching operation of the sewing machine needle, but only after certain of such if operations, for example, every alternate stitchherein described, thefeed or forwardmovement` of the cloth is obtained by the usual feed mechanism on the sewing machine andthat when the mechanism is adjusted for ne or coarse zigzag stitching, the feed of the machine will usually be correspondingly adjusted. It is also possible, with the attachment herein show-n, to adjust the tension of the thread so that one of the threads, the lower, for example, may be pulled through the cloth to show on the face thereof, and thereby make a fancy stitch.

One object of the invention is the provision of a sewing machine attachment for the production of zigzag or crisscross stitchings which will operate efficiently and which will be capable of a wide variety of uses.

Another object of the invention is the provision n make a zigzag stitch between each ofl thestitching operations ofthe sewing machine-or'between adapter or attachingl member I6, by which'the every alternate stitching operation or aplurality y of stitching operations, as desired. 4

A still further object of the invention is ,n the provision of 4 a sewing machine attachment for zigzag or crisscross stitching lwhich mayberelatively economical to manufacture and which, at the same time, will be efficient in operationand capableof use to effect ing operations. y l

To these and other ends the invention `consists in the novel'features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter .described andclaimed. r In the accompanying drawings, y Fig. l is a side elevational View of a sewing machine attachment, embodying our invention;`

Fig. 2 is a similar view, taken'4 from the other side of the attachment; n Fig. v3V is atop plan view of the attachment; Fig. 4 is a sectional View on lineV 4--4 of Fig.v 2; lFig. 5 isa sectional view on line .5 5 of Fig. l2; Fig. 6 is a sectionalview on line B--S of Fig."3;

Fig. 7 is a lsectional .view substantially on `line` view,part`ly` in sec- Fig. 10 is'an end elevational view of the parts shown in Fig'. 8;

Fig. l.11 is `a sectional view on line I Fig. 8;

Fig. l2 is a perspective View of the operating lever; v v

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the pivoted foot of theattachment;v

Figs. 14, 15 16 and 17 are views showing various kinds of stitching of which the attachment is capable; Y

Fig. 18 isa side elevational view of amodified form of our device;

Fig.'19 is a planview of the pivoted foot of the mechanism shown in Fig..18, and

Fig. 20 is an enlarged sectional view on line 2li-20 of Fig. 19. l To illustrate a preferred .embodimentof our invention, We have shown .a zigzag attachment comprising a frame member. fili, comprising spaced side members li and ,l2 which,'.as` shown at I3, are raised lat their` central portions vto provide bearings fora rotatable .shaft I4.' This frame "member is provided with a forwardly eX- tending portion I5to which mayA be secured an device `may be attached to thepresser bar llof a sewing machine in the usual mannen? a vwide variety ofs'titchis a detail' sectional View on line 9 9 of Secured to the shaft I4 is a hub member I8 having rigidly mounted thereon a rotatable cam member I9. This member is` made of two parts, 25 and 2 I, which parts, as shown more especially in Figs. 3 and 4, are similarly formed and provided with spaced teeth or cam portions 22, having bevelledvside edges 23. The two members and 2| are secured together back to back with the teeth of one alternating with those of the other so that the result is a member with laterali l therefore, when the pawl 28 isin engagement ly displaced cam surfaces on each side of a cen- In this manner, a sharp edge of a Pivoted upon the shaft I4. is actuating or operating lever 25, provided with a bifurcatedl slotted end 25, and adapted to be connected to the needle bar 21 in the usual way so that the lever'25 willbev reciprocated in a verticalplane by the up landdown movements of the needle bar.

Pivoted upon the lever 25 is a pawl 28, the end 29 of which is adapted to engage with either of ratchet wheels and 3| fixed uponthe shaft I4 and spaced apart by a spacing' member 32.Y

The pawl 28 is rpressed'into engagementwith l these ratchet wheels by a spring 33 andthe pivotal connection of this pawl vwith lever 25 is shown more especially inFig. l1. As shown in this figure, the pawl 28 is rigidly secured to theV reduced portion of a knurled button 35, slidably mounted'on a pin 36 secured to the lever 25. `This pin is provided-with a head 31 and the v button 35 is recessed as shown at 38 to receive the head of the pin whenthe pawl is moved outwardly. It will be understoodthat the operator, by grasping the button 35,' may move this button and the pawl 28 away from the lever 25 l. so as tofeifect Vthe engagement of the pawl with the 'outer' ratchet wheel 35. The pawl will be maintained in this position by the downwardly` turned end 39 of the spring 33 and the lateral facev of the spacing member 325 A spacing mem-v ber 40 may also be employed between the pawl? 45 28 and the lever 25, so that thepawl will correctly:

register with the inner ratchet 3|, when it is desired to have it in engagement with this ratchetl wheel. Y n

' It may here be stated that the ratchetwheels 3l) and 3| are provided with a different number of teeth. In the form shown, the ratchetwheel 30 is provided with 12 teeth and the ratchet wheel 3| with 24 teeth, although the number of teeth may be varied as desired. With this Varrangement, it will, of course, be obvious that the movement of the ratchet wheel 3B through one tooth space will result in a movement of the shaft I4 and cam member I9 through a greater angle,

than that effected by movement lof the ratchet wheel 3|, through a distanceof one toothspace. As the lever 25 would normally begiven the samev stroke by the needle bar'of the sewing machine, regardless of which ratchet wheel is'employed, it would tend, in the form illustrated, to move vthe ratchet wheel 3| through a distance lequal to two tooth spaces upon each stroke of the needle bar. A mask 4I is provided to covera portion of the teeth of the ratchetwheel adjacent the point of engagement of the pawl 28 so that the pawl, when in position to'engage the ratchet wheel 3|, will move over this mask during a part of its movement and thus be in engagementwith the teeth of the pawl only duringl the remainder of its movement and, therefore,

'foot 41, having an elongated needle slot 48 therein and the shank portion of the member is provided with a V-shaped slot or opening 49 adjacent its rear end. A spring 5|! actingagainst a washer 5I onthe pin 45 urges the shank 46 of Y the foot member towarl the part I5 of the frame, but flat contact of these two parts is prevented by a pin 52 secured to the member I5 and having its head disposed between this member and the shank 46. AIt will be observed that the foot member is thus arranged to swing about two axes relatively to the frame, so that it may adjust itself to any unevenness inthe cloth orr the bed of the machine. The forward portion 41 of the foot member may swingupwardly and downwardly about the pin 52 about an axis transverse to the forward travel of the material and italso mayl swing or rock from side to side about an axis longitudinallyof the attachment. This freedom of movement given the foot is, of course, in addition to its lateral pivotal motion about the pin 45 and enables the foot to accommodate itself at all times to the'material and the bed.

Pivoted to the rearv portion of the frame member at 55 is a lever 55, shown more especially in Fig. 12, which lever extends forwardly below the shank portion of the foot and is provided with a slot 51 to Yreceive the pin 45, the forward portion of the lever being held in position by the lWasher 5I, While the slot provides for a swinging .movement of the lever with respect to the pin 45.

The lever is provided with an upwardlydisplaced portion 55 to receive the rivet 55, and witha vertically projecting end portionv 55, so that, as

shown inFig.' 12, this member is substantially L-shaped in form. It is also provided with a pair of pins 50 upon which are mounted rollers 6I in spaced relation so that one of these rollers lies upon each side of and is engaged byh the peripheral cam surfaces of the cam memberIS, i

This lever 55 is also provided with a longitudinally extending slot 53,through wl'iichprojects a pin 64 securedto a plate 65 positioned atvthe lower surface of the lever lThe'plate 651s pro- Arecess 49 provided at the rear end of the shank 46.

The plate 65 is 'also L-shaped lin form, being provided with an upstanding rear end portion 68 in which portion is rotatably mounted` an adjusting nut'69 which threadedly receives a screw 1I) secured to the portion 59 ofthe lever 56'.l The adjusting nut may be provided' with a series of notches or recesses 1I adapted vto be engagedbyr a detent or index member 12 on a spring "I3 secured to the plate 65. It will be apparent that as the nut 69 is rotated, the part 68 will be caused to approach or recede from thepart 59 and;

therefore, will adjust the pin 64 forwardlyV or rearwardly with respect to the lever 56,and also with respect to the slot 49'.- Therecesses 'II are evenly spaced upon the nut 69 and the detentl 'I2 cooperating with these recesses'provides for accurate adjustment of the pin'` 64 and also for a veryv line adjustment of thispin. For example,-

tion that as the sewing machine to which the at-l tachment is connected isroperated, the up and down movements imparted to the lever.25 will, through the ratchet wheels 30 and 3I, imparta rotating step by step movement tothe shaiit-Y I4 and cam member I9. This cam member, 'operat-` ing between the rollers GI'willcause a lateral oscillatory movement to imparted to the lever 56, this movement taking place about the pivot pin 55. As the plate 65 moves with the lever-56, the pin 64 will be given an oscillatory movement and as this pin strikes the sides of the V-shaped slot y49 it will elect a lateral oscillating pivotal movement of the foot 41 about the pivotpin 45,- and the foot 4l, being in contact with the material, will cause the material to move laterally so as to effect a zigzag stitch.`

It will also be seen that, as the Islot 49 is of tapering or .V-shaped form,` themovement of the pin 64 longitudinally ofthe device by meansv of the adjusting nut B9 (which moves the fplate65 to which the pin 64 is secured)` will vary the throw given to the foot 4T, bothbecause when the pin is at the wider portions of the slot there will be considerable lost motion between this pin Vand the edges of the slot and also because the point of attack of the pin 64 upon the shank of the foot member will be variedto some extent with respect to the pivot pin 45. The maximum throw of the foot occurs when the pin 64 is atthe yforward end of the slot 49 where no lost motion 'occurs and adjustment in the opposite direction can be made until the pin r64 no lon'gercontacts4 the sides of the recess 49vand thus givingthey foot no movement at all, in which eventstraight sewing is effected.

When the pawl 28 is in engagement with the outer ratchet Wheel 30, as shown* in Fig. 3, the cam member I9 is moved througha `distance substantially equal to the spacing between the high so that the cloth is given a lateral movement for each stitch of the machine, thus effecting an angular zigzag stitch, shown, for example, in Fig. 14. The operator, by grasping the button 35, may turn Vpoints of two adjacent peripheral cam portions,

the pawl slightly until it is out of contact with the ratchet 3D and move'it inwardly until itis in engagement with the ratchet wheel 3|. As this ratchet wheel is provided with twice as many teeth as the ratchet 3U and as the mask 4I prevents the engagement of the pawl with the ratch et wheel during a part of its movement, the cam member I9 will, during one strokeof the needle bar, be moved through only'onefhailf 'the former distance, or through a distance equal to one-half a lateral movement, not'between every stroke of the needle bar, but betweenv every two strokesof the needle bar, which will eifect .the stitching shown in Fig. 15 of the drawings. Y This is due.

to the fact that the periphery of the cam mem-`- ber is so shaped that the lateral movement takes place during the'lasthalf of a full-step rotative movement ofv the cam from one high point ofi the cam to the next, and 4hence when the cam is moved only through the rst half of this step vso that the rollers pass from the high point of one of the teeth to the point opposite the junction of adjacent teeth, no movement of the lever 56 re# sults.

up to the limits of the attachment.

By reducing the tension of the bobbin thread,I

adjustingthe amount of lateral throw given to the foot, by adjusting the sewing machine feed, by `adjusting the tension of the .lower thread, and by the adjustment of pawl 28 to positionsto en'- gage a plurality of ratchet wheels to vary the number of stitches with respect to the number of lateral movements of the cloth, a great variety` of workvm'ay be effected.' It may be advantageous to do plain 'sewing a timeswithout removing the attachment from the machine. For this purpose, thepawl 28 is pro vided with a V-shaped notch 'I5 in the end contacting the ratchet wheels. The pawl may, therefore, be placed in the position'in Fig. 10, where the V-shaped notch engages the spacing member32, and is held out of engagement with either of the pawl members so that no `motion is given to the foot member 46, and plain sewing results. It may also be vdesirable to provide means for setting the cam member I9 at the. beginning yof the sewing operation. For this purpose, the shaft` I4 may be provided with a knurled knob 16 by which this shaft may be turned independently of movement of the lever 25. l

It may also be desirable to providel indicating means to indicate the adjustment 'of the plate 65 and pin 64. For this purpose, graduating marks l1, shown in Fig. 1, are placed upon the plate member 65 and an index mark'l is placed lupon the'lever 56- This index ymark will 4cooperate with thel graduation to indicate at onceto the a guide-member 'I9 is shown as secured to the foot y member" vby means of the screw 80, the guide member being' provided with 'an opening V8| to span the. needle opening 48 andifalso to'span a flexible cord-guiding member 82 alsosecured to the foot 47. The guide member is also provided with a plurality of cloth guiding slots 83., I i

In Figs. 18 to 20 of the drawings, lweh'ave shown a modified form of the invention whichin somerespects is of simpler construction thanthe attachment previously described. In; this modi-ly rlcation,l the lever 56, the plate 65 and the'foot member 46a'r'e replaced by asingle Imember `which is pivoted'to lthe frame and which vcarriesjtl-ie Presse? fOOt thereon. Thisame'mber is shown at of the'distance between two adjacentcam portions;l yIn this instance, the cloth will be given-r By adjusting the pin64 either`of thesel' l, stitches may be made-as ne or coarse as desired 90, is pivotedto the frame at 9|, and carries at its forward end a downwardly olset presser foot 92. As shown in Fig. 19, it is provided with a slot 93 which receives a guide pin 94 secured to the forward portion of the Aframe, so that the` member 90 will be properly guided in its movement. ItV Will be understood that the frame member 95, the cam vmember 9,6, the operating lever 91 and associated parts are likethose described in connection with the frame of our invention shown in Figs. 1 to 13. 1

The member 90 is provided with a pair of up- 1 standing ears 98, provided with open-ended slots 1 99, within Which rotatably rests a right and lefti hand threaded screw |00, having an adjusting Q'knob |0|' upon one end. Threadedly mounted upon the right and left-hand threads of this screw y respectively, are sleeves |02, to which sleeves are i secured downwardly projecting `pins |03, having lateral sliding motion invslots |04 inthe memi ber 90. Also secured to these sleeves and proi jecting upwardly therefrom are pins |05, which carry rollers |06, adapted to be engaged by the i cam member 96. The screw is held in position by means of a clamping V`member |01 which is secured to the. plate 90 and engages the reduced `central portion of the screw between the threads so that longitudinal movement of the 1 screw is prevented. Thus, it willbe seen that rotation of the screw serves to move the rollers |06 the direction of rotation. This causes the rollers to move closer to or further from the cam 96, i so as to adjust the lateral throw imparted to the member 90 by the cam, due to the fact that there will be an amount of lost motion between the cam and rollers, depending upon the amount of separation of these rollers.

The adjusting knob I0| may be provided with a number of regulated spaced notches |08 within which is adapted to engage a detent |09, ar-

ranged at the end of a spring ||0 secured to the lower surface of the member 90, so that therknob and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. An attachment for a sewing machine having a presser bar and a needle bar, comprising a frame adapted to be connected to the presser bar, a foot movably connected to the frame, meansconnected to the needle bar for actuation thereby for eiecting lateral oscillatory movements of said foot, said connection including a pawl and a pair of ratchet Wheels, and means for placing said pawl in cooperative relation with either of said ratchet Wheels as desired. Y

2. An attachment for a sewing machine having a presser bar and a needle bar, comprising af rame adapted to be connected to the presser bar, a foot movably connected to the frame, means connectedy to the needle bar for actuation thereby for effecting lateral oscillatory movements of saidY toward and away from each other, depending on varying the lengthof Ysaid steps, and said cam rWheel being so constructed that it is permitted an initial movement without eiecting movement of said foot, whereby such variation eiects a variation in the, number of lateral niovementsrelatively to the number of strokes of the needle bar.

3. An attachment for a sewing machine having a presser bar and a needle bar, comprising a frame adapted to be connected to the presser bar, a foot movably connected to the frame, means connected to the needle bar for actuation thereby for eiecting lateral oscillatory movements of said foot, said connection including a cam wheel rotated in a step-bystep movement, and means for varying the length of said steps, said last-named means including apair of ratchet wheels and a pawl to cooperate with either of said wheels selectively.

4. An attachment for a sewing machine having a presser bar and a needle bar, comprising a frame adapted to be connected to the presser bar, a foot movably connected to the frame, means connected to the needle bar for actuation thereby for eiecting lateral oscillatory movements of said footpsaid connection including a pawl and a pair of ratchet wheels, means Vfor placing said pawl in cooperative relation with either of said ratchet wheels as desired, and means for placing said pawl in position in which it engages neither of said wheels.

5. An attachment :for a sewing machine having ya presser bar and a needle bar, said attachment comprising a frame, a foot movably connected to said frame for lateral oscillatory movements, means'actuated by the needle bar of the sewing machine to eiect movement of said foot including a cam wheel, said cam Wheel comprising a. pair of members each having outwardly facing spaced cam surfaces, and means for securing said members together in opposing back-to'back relation, with the cam surfaces of one member alternating Witlnand facing oppositely with respect to those of the other.

6. An attachment for a sewing machine having a'pljesser bar and a needle bar, said attachment 7 comprising av frame, a foot movably connectedto the frame,fmeans for eiecting lateral oscillatory movements of said foot without advancing the same relatively to the frame, said means including a lever operable by the needle bar, a rotatable shaft actuated by the lever ina step-by-step movement, each step resulting from a stroke oi the needle bar, means to vary ythe angle through which the shaft is turned during a single stroke of the lever, and connections between said shaft and foot operative to provide for initial movement of the shaft'without effecting movement of said foot. f

7 An attachment for a sewing machine having a presser bar and a needle bar, comprising a frame adapted to vbe connected to the presser bar, foot movably connected to the frame, means con; nected to the needle bar for actuation thereby for effecting lateral oscillatory movements of said foot, said means including a cam wheel rotated in a step-by-step movement, and means for'varying the length of said steps including a cooperating pawl and ratchet,r means to hold said pawl Vfrom engagement with the` teeth of the ratchet during a part of itsmovement, and connections between said cam wheel and said foot, said cam wheel and said connections being arranged to provide for an initial ymovement of said wheelwithout effecting lmovement of said foot.l I

8. A sewing machine attachment for zigzag stitchingV operations, comprising a frame, a floot connected to the frame for lateral oscillatory movement, a lever pivoted to the frame, means actuated by the needle bar to move said lever on its pivot, and means connecting said foot to the lever whereby the former is oscillated by the latter, said connecting means comprising a slot of varying Width in said foot and a pin carried by said lever and received in said slot.

9. A sewing machine attachment for' zigzag stitching operations, comprising a frame, a foot connected to the frame for lateral oscillatory movement, a lever pivoted to the frame, means actuated by the needle bar to move Said lever on its pivot, means connecting said foot to the lever whereby the former is oscillated by the latter, said ,connecting means comprising a slot of varying IwidthV in said foot and a pin carried by said lever and received in said slot, and said pin being adjustable longitudinally of the slot to vary the throw imparted to said foot.

10. A sewing machine attachment for zigzag stitching operations, comprising a frame, a foot yconnected to the frame 4f-or lateral oscillatory movement, a lever pivoted to the frame, means actuated by the needle bar to move said lever on its pivot, and means connecting' said foot to the lever whereby the former is oscillated by the latter, said connecting means comprising a plate carried by said lever, av pin on said plate, and said'foot having a slot in which the pin is received.

1l. A sewing machine :attachment for zigzag stitching operations, comprising a, frame, a foort connected to the frame for lateral oscillatory movement, a lever pivoted to the frame, means actuated by the needle bar to move said lever on itspivot, and means connecting said fooft to the lever whereby the former is oscillated by the latter, said connecting means comprising a plate carried by said lever, a pin on said plate, and said foot having a slot in which the pin is receivedy said plate being adjustable on said lever.

` whereby fine adjustments of said parts can be i 12. A sewing machine attachment for zigzag y actuated by the needle bar to move said lever on its pivot, means connecting said foot to the lever whereby .the former is oscillated by the latter, said connecting means comprising a plate carried by said lever, a pin on Said plate, andy said foot having a slot in which the pin lis received, said plate and lever comprising L-shaped members having horizontally disposed body portions and upstanding spaced end portions, and means adjustably connecting said end portions for moving the'pin relatively to the slot. y

13. An attachment for a sewing machine having a presser bar and a. needle bar, comprising a frame adapted to be connected to the presser bar, a. foot movably'connected to the. frame, means connected to the needle bar for actuation there- 14. A sewing machine attachment for zigzag stitching operations, comprising a, frame, a foot connected to the fname for lateral oscillatory vmovement, a lever pivoted to the frame, means actuated by the needle bar to move said lever on its pivot, means connecting said foot to the lever whereby the former is oscillated by the latter, said connecting means comprising a plate carried by said lever, a pin on said plate, and said foot having a slot in which the pin is received, said plate and lever comprising L-shaped members having horizontally disposed body portions and upstanding spaced end lportionsand meansl adl justably connecting said end portions for moving the pin relatively to the slot, said last-named means including a threaded adjusting member made.

DAVID L. BACON. SAMUEL P. CALDWELL. WILLIAM L. BARMMER. 

